Barbara Harvey

Barbara Nannette Poland Harvey, 78, of Mansfield, died Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. at Winchester Terrace Nursing Home. She passed away from this Earth to be with the Lord Jesus Christ after a prolonged battle with congestive heart disease. Born in Galion, to Hiram and Mary Poland, she was the third eldest of twelve siblings. Leading a colorful and varied life, Barbara lived and worked in Ohio, California, and Texas before returning to Ohio in the late 1990s to be closer to her children, grandchildren and family. A mother to four, she gave birth to Tommy Lee Harvey, Barbara Susan Harvey Foltz, James Thomas Harvey III and Carol Diane Harvey Dailey. Tommy Lee preceded Barbara in death, while her other children continue to reside in north central Ohio. Uniquely, she saw to it that all of her children were called by their middle names. Adding to her maternal skills, Barbara broke into the banking industry, working locally for the former Farmers Bank in downtown Mansfield before entering government security services in Southern California. After retiring, she headed back East to more familiar confines to purchase a home in Bucyrus and then relocating once more to Mansfield. As a mother, she could always be counted on to have a roast in the oven after church, allowing her children to have pet dogs and cats while keeping a fastidious home all at the same time. Good with her hands, she dabbled in the arts, painting and drawing while still cranking out home-sewn goods on an old-fashioned Singer treadle sewing machine. While living out West, she enjoyed traveling, taking a number of cruises to exotic locales. Truly a beautiful woman in the 40's era style of pin-up girls, she always had a keen sense of fashion in her dress and looks. Later in life, she enjoyed spending time with her great-grandchildren, reading, sipping on iced coffee, talking with her sisters and attending Sunday school and church at Providence Baptist Church in Mansfield.

In addition to her children, Barbara is survived by five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; six sisters, Betty Ashwell, Shirley 'Dolly' Brown, Mary 'Took' Rarick, Sandra Britt, Kay Ron Scott, and Karen Sue Knapp, all of Bucyrus; two brothers, John Virginia Poland of Bucyrus, and Dale Joyce Poland of Princeton, Indiana; and two sisters-in-law, Virginia Poland of Norwalk and Annabelle Poland of Galion. In addition to her son, she was preceded in death by her parents; and three brothers and sister-in-law, Willard H. Poland, Mart E. Poland, and Herbert Agnes Poland.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 13, 2007 at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors conducted by Dr. Thomas Hunt. Family and friends may call one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.